Sacramento's Beer Week is in full swing.

Bars and restaurants all over the city are celebrating by offering special dinners, drinks and events. Mulvaney's Building and Loan hosted its Pigs-n-Pints event Tuesday evening. Guests were treated to a delicious five-course meal, family style, in the events room at the corner of 19th and L Streets.

The packed room of men and women came from all over the Sacramento region. Business professionals, civic leaders and students all sampled the beer and food.

The meal was prepared under the watchful eye of owner Patrick Mulvaney with the entire kitchen crew pitching in. The first course consisted of fresh asparagus with country ham and Vega farm eggs paired with Firestone's Double Barrel Ale.

That course was followed by Pasta Dave's Agnulotti. Pasta Dave prepares the pasta for several local restaurants from scratch. Each course was paired with a beer of a similar flavor profile. The Agnulotti was paired with Ryan's Folly by Langunita's, a "mistake beer" that is only available in Sacramento this week. Ryan, a brewer at Langunita's, accidentally added crystal malt to the beer instead of the chocolate malt the recipe called for. The end result is an incredibly complex and smooth beer.

The entrees didn't disappoint. The Cache Creek Chicken with roasted potatoes was moist and delicious. Bledsoe Pork Shoulder with creamy polenta was one of the highlights. Paired with Russian River Supplication, the sourness of the beer blended perfectly with the spicy pig.

Topping off a perfect evening, the first strawberries of the season covered Nena's sticky buns with pecan brittle. Rubicon Brewery provided their winter wheat wine that complemented the cinnamon angluse poured over the top of the buns.

Friends and strangers came together over glasses of IPA or pale ale, united by Mulvaney's love for food and beer. A perfect meal with fresh, local ingredients and delicious beer is the best way to celebrate Beer Week.

To view the schedule for the rest of the week's events and specials, visit www.sacramentobeerweek.com

Photos by Matthew Ceccato

Photo #1: The sign outside Mulvaney's B&L
Photo #2: Owner Patrick Mulvaney
Photo #3: The chicken and lamb before plating
Photo #4: Chefs plating the Agnulotti
Photo #5: The beer
Photo #6: More beer
Photo #7: The Next Door dinning room
Photo #8: The menu board
Photo #9: Hor'derves being served during cocktail hour before dinner